Inquiring Minds at the District Conference

Years ago, I borrowed a wonderful Table Topics
idea from the Toast of Shell; I call them "pop psychology topics."
Some of my favorite topics included: "life is like a Metro bus" and
"happiness is like an apple." Over the weekend, I learned a new one:
"The 1991 Spring District Conference was like a newspaper."
Newspapers have sections which cover sporting contests, political
news, food, business reports, entertainment, religion/philosophy, and
pets. The 1991 Conference also had all of these things. As someone
caught in the middle of the swirl of activities, here's a collage of
my highlighted memories.

The M. W. Kellogg Company's majestic Quality
and Toastmaster display.

Toni Howard and Mary Baker ubiquitously run
the show perfectly.

Mary's husband, Victor Montalbano, a fantastic
host at the casino party in Justin's.

The debate -- the candidates explained why
they were fantastic, and the phrases began to run together.

"Gee, I Love Toastmasters!!" and "Jean, Jean
the Winning Machine!!"

7:00 breakfast meeting with good turnout (of
course, I think any group over a dozen at 7:00 am constitutes a
good turnout).

'Bert presenting our semiannual report:
District 56 is third in the world if we stay on track. However, if
things had stopped as of April 30, we would only have been about
number 47. (This is our incentive to maintain our high performance
rate.)

Class of the meeting to me: Don was nominated
to run against Jean Riggs, moments after losing, and having the
graciousness to step aside. (Isn't it so distasteful to see people
gone from office trying to clutch to its power and maintain
control rather than let the new wave have their turn to learn the
lessons of leadership?)

Tom Carter with a magnificently polished and
professional presentation on success (Good luck at
Regionals).

Noticing that the top three speakers all spoke
about their philosophy of success.

The one speech with a more unique message, and
the one which I will still remember next year (and even ten years
from now): Lee Rushing's Little Red Record. It told of his
memories and love towards his Grandfather, the simple things they
did which mean so much to him, now, and his encouragements to us
to be a similar, special someone to the children in our
lives.

The food at both contests (barbeque at lunch
and cornish game hens at dinner) was better than at any other
Conference I remember.

'Bert saying "I don't want to go." (Don't
worry, 'Bert, you don't have to go as far as Paula did.)

Mike Roth evaluated my and Karen Mayfield's
evaluations ... with compliments. I know he's discriminating in
his praise, and it made me feel so fantastic.

Mike Roth received the David Abel Award for
Excellence, and it somehow seemed appropriate.

Seeing so many of my friends throughout the
weekend, especially Paula Price from San Antonio, who made my
first term as President such a success when she was still in
Houston.

Preparations already beginning for next year:
Eloise Latson already recruiting me to help with Toastmasters
University.

I loved it, and it will take another six
months to recuperate, I'm sure!